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Summary List of stories Phase I Day: Honor, Duty, And Family << chapter 27 Chapter 28 of 75 Fairy Tale Lives chapter 29 >> << previous scene Scene 2 of 2 next scene >> Location Participants Time Summary Prologue | Phase I | Phase II | Epilogue 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59 | 60 61 | 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 71 | 72 | 73 | 74 | 75 Text That night found the odd family at home: Antares was half-asleep on the floor, dressed in his onesie and with his head resting on Gymbr's back, quietly suckling on a pacifier in his jaws. Scrivener was writing quietly at his desk, tossing soft looks over his shoulder every now and then at the foal, and Twilight was trying to hold a pose as Luna comfortably laid in front of her and sketched her, the winged unicorn blushing as she stayed sitting back with her front hooves raised in front of her and her wings spread, muttering: "This is uncomfortable." "Mom's actually done most of the detailing, Twilight, you can relax now." Scarlet Sage said kindly as she strode in from the kitchen, putting down a tray loaded with two mugs of tea and two mugs of coffee, and Luna huffed, glowering over at her daughter as the Pegasus only smiled amusedly in return. "Oh good." Twilight mumbled, furling her wings and dropping back to all fours, then she stretched slowly, wincing a little as her back creaked and Luna grumbled as she sat over her art pad. "Then again, it's not like you really need to look at me, is it?" "I enjoy looking at thee, though. And 'tis easier for me to draw thee in silly poses when thou art actually in the silly pose. Anatomy and angles are wretched things." Luna mumbled in response, continuing to moodily sketch as her starry locks swirled backwards before she closed the sketchpad and smiled a little as Twilight strode over to the bedding to drop down beside the sapphire winged unicorn. "What is on thy mind, sweet mare?" Twilight only shrugged a little as she reached out and picked up one of the mugs of tea, sipping at it and giving Scarlet Sage a small smile before her eyes turned back to Luna, saying softly: "Well. I guess, to be entirely honest... how things have been lately. I mean, look around, Luna... everything here's been so... so..." Luna only nodded slowly, glancing towards Gymbr and Antares, and then her eyes roved to Scrivener as the earth pony closed his own notebook and turned around, smiling a little. "Crazy." "Yeah, crazy. Like a rollercoaster." Twilight laughed a little, nodding and looking over the other ponies softly. "I'm not honestly sure how we all deal with it... the constant... up-and-down of everything." Luna nodded slowly, looking down meditatively for a few moments before she shrugged a bit and murmured: "We have all been through much, Twilight Sparkle. Great suffering, and great joy alike, and I often think that 'tis harder to live through great happiness than it is suffering. I do not know if I even desire happiness all the time... serenity, Scrivener Blooms likes to say, is worth much more. And what I enjoy most... is excitement. Perhaps that is why when I lived in corrupted Equestria, I was not happy, oh no... but... it was exciting. It was thrilling. And it made me feel truly alive." She smiled a little, looking down for a moment as Scarlet Sage sipped quietly at her own tea, then Luna's horn glowed. She lifted the remaining mugs of coffee, passing one to Scrivener as she sipped at the other herself, and the earth pony nodded his thanks to her before his eyes roved to Twilight, asking quietly: "So tell me. You still going to come with us on the next journey?" "If you'll have me, yeah." Twilight smiled a little, nodding after a moment as she looked from Scrivener to Luna, then towards Scarlet Sage. "And you know, if you don't think Antares..." "Nah. Little brother and I will be fine, and Gymbr... I dunno. Maybe this will sound weird, but... I feel like if Gymbr ever does try anything, it won't be behind Mom and Dad's backs. It'll be a challenge to them... and yet... I don't think that will happen." Scarlet Sage quieted, looking down as she rubbed awkwardly a foreleg. "I... I think I kind of lied, too, today. Maybe my dreams have been... you know... influenced by Gymbr one way or the other, I dunno. But they're not about a black castle or anything. They've been about..." She blushed a little, and then Luna grinned widely, half-lidding her eyes as she leaned forwards and said cheerfully: "Oh, I recognize that look all too well! Handsome stallions, is it?" Luna paused, leaning in closer as Scarlet Sage mumbled awkwardly, and then Luna's grin stretched even wider as Scrivener slapped his forehead and Twilight cocked her head curiously. "No? Oh, I see! Pretty mares, is it?" "Mom!" Scarlet Sage turned away embarrassedly, and Luna laughed and shook her head even as the Pegasus turned beet-red, dropping her head forwards and mumbling: "Thank you, really, for... you know. Letting me... oh, Mom..." "Oh, shush, 'tis nothing to be ashamed of. I dream of pretty mares all the time." Luna said mildly, flicking a hoof, and both Scrivener and Twilight glared at her. The winged unicorn only huffed in response to this, however, looking at them pointedly. "Well, somepony has to, as both of thee are boring. Twilight, thou art beautiful, and Scrivener Blooms, thou art... appreciable... but sometimes I desire pretty thoughts of pretty things, 'tis all." "Yeah, me too." Scrivener muttered, and Luna reared back, giving him a horrible look before Scrivener grumbled and flopped down beside Twilight as he sipped slowly at his coffee. For a few moments, there was awkward silence as Luna gradually settled, and then Scarlet Sage finally looked up and asked finally: "So... I... I mean... is it a problem that..." "Why should it matter to me?" Luna asked curiously, and when Scrivener looked at her pointedly, she looked back in honest confusion before their eyes met, thoughts swirling back and forth before Luna snorted and leaned back, muttering grumpily: "Then society is backwards. Oh, well, aye, in the old days, to accuse one male of bedding another could be most awful indeed. 'Twas considered shameful, even. Well, most..." Luna grinned a little, glancing up. "As with all things, if the warrior was large and masculine and strong enough, then... 'twas difficult to make him feel shame even with this. Oh, what brutes and fools people can be!" She laughed and shook her head, and then she sipped calmly at her coffee before smiling slightly. "But we mares have always had more... shall we say... leeway, with certain things. Just as 'twas shameful for a stallion to use most forms of magic instead of fighting as a proper warrior should in battle... a mare was free to use magic to influence events. Just as a mare who slept with another mare could be considered tawdry, oh, aye, but 'twas not nearly as shameful as a stallion whom slept with a stallion. But I do not entirely understand why we are even talking about this, Scarlet Sage... but if thou truly craves reassurance despite the well-known hungers of thine own mother, then listen to me and look at me." Luna put down her tea, gazing at her quietly and turning to her daughter, reaching out and taking her hooves to squeeze them slowly as she looked into the eyes of the Pegasus, saying softly: "I shall always, always love thee. Always. And what I desire to see is thy happiness, and I do not speak hollow words, or platitudes. I wish to see thou happy. I wish to see thou living life free, for thyself, and to find comfort and goodness, whatever thou chooses and wherever it leads thee. And I have strong, strong faith thou shall always do the right thing, even both blessed and cursed with the powers thou hast been, the lure of the Blood Seer's grasp. Sweet, beloved daughter, I have so much faith and pride in thee... and such a simple, silly thing as what thou prefers as a partner in intimacy does not affect my opinion of thee, whatever society thinks. But I should not need to reassure thou of this." She winked. "Thou hast spied upon me kissing Twilight Sparkle more than once." Scarlet Sage blushed deep red, then she turned her eyes quietly towards her father, and Scrivener smiled amusedly as he reached out and stroked along his daughter's shoulder, saying quietly: "I love you, Scarlet. No matter what, through everything. We both love you. We're both always, always going to be here for you... hell, all of us are, right, Twilight?" "Yeah. I know it's hard, Scarlet Sage, I know... well... things like this can be a little awkward." Twilight blushed a bit, glancing down before she looked slowly up, saying quietly: "Even if my opinion doesn't matter as much, I... I support you. You're a friend, Scarlet Sage. You're... family, too, to me." "You are family, Twilight. You're... my second mom really." Scarlet Sage laughed despite herself, blushing a bit and glancing down before she gently let go of one of Luna's hooves to reach out and squeeze Twilight's, looking into her eyes and smiling faintly. "We never talk about it, but I want you to know I've never been ashamed of any of you, or... you know, how life is for all of us here. This weird little life we all have together. We might be one of the strangest families in Equestria but... maybe that's... what I needed, too. Maybe that's part of why I've been able to accept myself and... my powers, even. Because I was never around 'normal.'" "I wish sometimes things were normal. That would be nice." Scrivener said softly, smiling a bit, and Luna huffed over at him as Twilight nudged him gently with a shoulder, making the male laugh and shake his head with a slight smile. "Alright, alright, I only ever do on... rare occasion, happy? But... thanks, Scarlet Sage. Except I don't think you should really be glad for our deviancy. Or Luna's greed if you prefer to blame it all on her, like I do." "I shall pummel thee." Luna threatened grouchily, glowering over at Scrivener, and the earth pony cleared his throat and held up his hooves, leaning away with a slight smile as Scarlet Sage laughed, then visibly softened as she drew back a bit, gazing affectionately over them all. There was quiet for a little while, as they sat together, sipping their coffee and tea before Scarlet Sage blushed when Luna asked with a grin: "So tell me. Tell me all about thy naughty dreams!" "Uh. Mom. No." Scarlet Sage said flatly, blushing deeper, and Luna grumbled under her breath as Scrivener looked relieved and Twilight gave the sapphire winged unicorn a grumpy look. "I'm comfortable with you guys, yes. I love you all. But I am definitely not discussing any of that with you, especially after how I still feel traumatized after you told me about the birds and the bees... and by the way, I want to say right now that you better be gentler with Antares when he's old enough for that talk." Luna huffed and looked offended even as Scrivener grunted in agreement and leaned past Scarlet Sage to watch as Antares groggily looked up at the sound of his name, then yawned and curled back up against Gymbr with a mumble. The earth pony smiled at this, then he said softly: "Poor kiddo's had a big day. I'm going to put him to bed a little early, I think." "Check his diaper, 'tis been a while. And brush his teeth... wait, has he had a snack, Scrivy? We should not leave our child wanting." Luna said firmly, and Scrivener looked meditatively over at the winged unicorn before she declared: "From this day forth I shall be the better parent than thee!" Scrivener only sighed tiredly at this, rubbing slowly at his face before he walked over to Antares and gently shook him, the foal mumbling and fluttering his leathery wings before Scrivener softened, his eyes roving towards Luna as he said quietly: "You know, I keep thinking of our kid as a unicorn, still... but... he isn't really, is he? I mean, I'd say he was a winged unicorn, except..." "He is not, no." Luna laughed a little, looking quietly over at their son before she sighed a little, murmuring: "What truly bothers me is that the Centurion enchantment was not meant to be done upon earth ponies or unicorns... only Pegasi, transforming them into Nightmare Moon's knights of the night sky. Strong, fast, and capable of seeing great distances in the dark and blending in with the night around them. But Antares... not only a foal, but a unicorn..." She sighed a little, looking moody for a moment before she glanced up and grumbled: "Well, 'tis not important. Antares is Antares and we shall raise him as a pony, not as a unicorn or anything else. Aye?" "Aye." Scrivener agreed with a small smile, and then he gently swept the foal up, looking over him moodily before he said softly: "Still, though, I'm gonna call you a unicorn if I gotta give you a name. Because... you know. Where I came from, they told me I'd never give birth to anything but a slave hoof. Proved them wrong, huh?" "Scrivener, thou art insufferable." Luna said flatly, and Scrivener shrugged in agreement as he smiled slightly over his shoulder at her before he put the foal down when Antares yawned tiredly and then smiled blearily up at his father, carefully stumbling up to his hooves and shaking himself out a little. The stallion quietly led his son into the kitchen, and Scarlet Sage gazed softly over her shoulder before she said finally: "I do... one day... hope that I'll be a mother, you know? Antares is so... such a wonderful little colt, even if I know that he's kind of the exception to the usual rule." "Oh, I do not think he is all the time. He chews on things, and cries, and has good days and bad days. But it is because he understands things with his... the way he sees. The way he is." Luna explained, smiling over at Scarlet Sage. "That is why he is such a good-natured young foal. And I know that as he grows older, and begins to... rely on himself more than us, well. There shall be clashes. Even we have argued, Scarlet Sage, thou knows this." Scarlet Sage only laughed quietly at this, however, closing her eyes and replying softly: "Yeah, but about a lot of silly things, for the most part, and even Fluttershy and I have had fights, Mom. Well... disagreements. Fluttershy doesn't really get angry that often, after all." "But when she does..." Twilight laughed and shook her head, smiling despite herself. "Conflict is just... a part of life, I've learned. In fact, it's part of friendship, of good friendships... learning to be able to disagree with each other, to debate things, to even get into arguments, but then move past it one way or the other, resolve your differences, and not... hold onto grudges. To forget about the past and use what you've learned about each other through that conflict to... help avoid it happening again in the future." The Pegasus mare nodded slowly as Luna smiled in agreement, and they descended into comfortable quiet as Scrivener Blooms and Antares emerged a few moments later from the kitchen, the foal sitting comfortably in front of the mares with a sippy cup in his lap and Gymbr safely hugged against his side. His father sat beside him, rubbing his back slowly, gazing down at him affectionately... and for a little while, the family rested in the well deserved comfort, quiet and peace. Category:Transcript Category:Story